CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape is the worst performing province in terms of racial diversity in the workplace.

On Tuesday, the Labour Department announced the results of the Commission of Employment Equity's 12th annual report.

Minister Mildred Oliphant said she planned to raise the issue with Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.

She said although employment equity compliance was improving,the rate of change was too slow.

She added that a gross under representation of black people, women and people with disabilities remains in key labour markets.

The report shows the Western Cape is the worst-performing province in terms of race and gender, across every occupational level in both the public and private sectors.

Oliphant said changes to the Employment Equity Act will speed up transformation.

"There are some pockets that are still resisting change by only employing white people and white males."

The report also shows males and white people are more likely to be recruited and promoted in comparison to any other group.

COSATU: ZILLE IS TO BLAME

Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has called on the national government to take decisive action against the Western Cape government and the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Cosatu's Western Cape leader Tony Ehrenreich said he believes the private sector is taking its cue from the provincial government.

"We think it's partly related to the DA's attitude and Helen Zille's attitude to matters of equity on both questions of gender as well as race. This is why the public and private sector are not making an effort to employ more black people."

He said national government needs to step in.

"We want to urge national government to ensure that these problems also comply with the legislative obligations so that we can start to bring more equity between blacks and whites in the province."